*****Game Thread: #20 Texas Longhorns vs #11 Oklahoma State Cowboys*****

[Eastexhorn]

Did you consider pulling Ewers? Sark NO

 

[Eastexhorn]

1 K. St   road game

2 TCU will be a touff game.

3 Kansas  road game will be hard to out score.

4Baylor hard nosed team be another touff one.

Right now I would settle for one win to make a bowl game

 

[zion3d]

I completely understand and agree that the best thing Sark could've done to win the game was try and change it up with Card.  However, I kind of get what Sark was doing.  Had the Horns been down a couple of TDs then you go with Card.  The Horns we're still in this until the final play.  It appeared to me that Sark was trying to let Quinn figure it out and learn from it.  

It sucks that it cost them the game, but I believe it was a true growing pain that Quinn needed to experience.  Can you dig deep when things are going wrong and find a way? In all honestly, that is exactly what Quinn did on that final drive.  He made great passes and that last pass was right on the money.  Sucks it didn't end up better.  

Had Sark pulled Quinn, then the only thing he would've learned was that when things aren't going well you will get pulled.  Then he would be constantly looking over his shoulder everytime he makes a mistake.

Colt McCoy went through that, VY went through that and Sam went through that (also against OkSt). Call me a homer or whatever you want, but I believe it will pay off down the road.  I really do.  It really does suck that they lost, but you have break some eggs to get the omelet in the end.

Some others on here say that if this team didn't win out then it was not a successful season.  I don't believe that.  I wanted a split with Iowa St/OkSt and I want a 3-1 after the bye. That is 8-4 and I'm happy with that because they're growing.  I'm still not happy with the defense though, but O didn't help them out today in the 2nd half.  Ok, tell me how stupid I am and that i'm settling. 

On a personal note, I went through something similar in my coaching life when I had young players that needed to learn.  Sure, we took some lumps but it turned out good in the long game.  Not saying that is what will happen, but I get it.  Yes, we suck until we don't.  Ok, now tell me how stupid I am and that I'm settling.

Sorry but trying to let Quinn learn how to work through his struggles was not more important than winning. It was obvious that Quinn was not going to get it done from the middle of the 3rd quarter.  Playing Hudson might have worked because he is more of a dual threat QB.

 

[zion3d]

There are numerous issues with the coaching staff and the team.  It was definitely a team loss but Sark is the head of both the team and coaches.

1.  We have a pattern of not scoring many pts in the second half.

2.  Sark has a pattern of abandoning the play-calling that worked in the first half.

3.  There is a pattern of us not adjusting on offense and defense in the second half.

 4.  There is a pattern of Sark not being able to manage the game in the second half.

5.  The is a pattern of teams adjusting to what we are doing and once they shut it down Sark has no answers as to what to do to keep the offense moving.

6.  There is a pattern of us not being able to win on the road.

This is how you go 5-7 last year and who knows what it will be this year.  We have not turned the corner because we are seeing the same issues as last year.  The Tech game was the first clue.  Last weeks game was as well.  As the competition gets tougher we will see the recurring theme show itself again and again.  

The off-season was the time to make structural changes to address these issues.  Looks like the remedy devised by the coaching staff and more importantly by Sark was not the answers we needed.

I hope something can be figured out soon or we will fall off the cliff again.  If that happens it will put our recruiting class in jeopardy.  More importantly it might cost us Arch Manning.  

 

[Johnny Depp]

I completely understand and agree that the best thing Sark could've done to win the game was try and change it up with Card.  However, I kind of get what Sark was doing.  Had the Horns been down a couple of TDs then you go with Card.  The Horns we're still in this until the final play.  It appeared to me that Sark was trying to let Quinn figure it out and learn from it.  

It sucks that it cost them the game, but I believe it was a true growing pain that Quinn needed to experience.  Can you dig deep when things are going wrong and find a way? In all honestly, that is exactly what Quinn did on that final drive.  He made great passes and that last pass was right on the money.  Sucks it didn't end up better.  

Had Sark pulled Quinn, then the only thing he would've learned was that when things aren't going well you will get pulled.  Then he would be constantly looking over his shoulder everytime he makes a mistake.

Colt McCoy went through that, VY went through that and Sam went through that (also against OkSt). Call me a homer or whatever you want, but I believe it will pay off down the road.  I really do.  It really does suck that they lost, but you have break some eggs to get the omelet in the end.

Some others on here say that if this team didn't win out then it was not a successful season.  I don't believe that.  I wanted a split with Iowa St/OkSt and I want a 3-1 after the bye. That is 8-4 and I'm happy with that because they're growing.  I'm still not happy with the defense though, but O didn't help them out today in the 2nd half.  Ok, tell me how stupid I am and that i'm settling. 

On a personal note, I went through something similar in my coaching life when I had young players that needed to learn.  Sure, we took some lumps but it turned out good in the long game.  Not saying that is what will happen, but I get it.  Yes, we suck until we don't.  Ok, now tell me how stupid I am and that I'm settling.

The name on the front of the jersey is more important than the name on the back. 

 Players have eyes too, and in the 2nd half they had a right to feel like Sark chose to stick with Quinn over them and all the blood sweat and tears they put into this team and season. 

 

[North Texas Golfer]

Spencer Sanders is 4-0 against UT.  That means he won as a freshman, sophomore, junior and senior.  Noted.

agree with your second paragraph 157%

Spencer Sanders is 2-2 against Texas. 

 

[java]

I agree with texbound. I hope that Cook has a break that they can put a cast on, and let him play. We missed him in the secondary after he went down.

Now, for those of you who were hypercritical online, “Do you feel better?”

If you don’t, think before you share.

btw, I love Sark’s simple “No’s”.  It is his way of shutting down reporters without being rude.  There were no more questions about it, were there?

Quinn came back from an injury, showed no ill effects, then was hit in the same spot again.  It’s normal to get be a little nervous about it.

I know, you’re thinking, I’m just a girl.  Right.  Well, guys with ACL and other injuries generally don’t trust them right away.  He came through it, and now he knows it is solid.

btw, for those blaming Ewers and the offense, where did y’all go to football school?  It wasn’t UT, for sure.

The defense fell apart when Cook left the game (Watts, too?).  The last interception hit Sanders right in the hands and bounced off to the OSU defender.  That happens in football sometimes.

Did Ewers have his best day?  No. However, all young quarterbacks have bad days. Remember a redshirt juniors bad day at Kyle Field?  It probably cost him the Heisman. We were just good enough to win anyway.

Hook ‘em!
 

 

[NEOkHorn]

btw, I love Sark’s simple “No’s”.  It is his way of shutting down reporters without being rude.  There were no more questions about it, were there?

Agreed here. I also appreciated when he was asked last night about a certain play (couldn't hear the whole question), Sark's response was a quick; "I called that play, it wasn't on Ewers" or something to that affect. I hear him providing the correct amount of challenge to his players but never throwing them under the bus to the press. I respect that. Lots of room for him to improve as a coach if he is to succeed here but I'm a big fan of how he interacts with the media as opposed to recent HCs.

 

[TXFF]

It's clear there is a big drop-off in experience in the secondary when someone goes down. Yesterday, two of our best guys on the backend, Watts and Cook, were out for virtually the entire second half. Cook is the defensive "QB" so losing him really hurt. Their replacements are freshmen and a walk-on with very little experience. Of course, any opposing coaching staff is going to target those guys which his why the OSU passing game opened up in the second half. It takes years to recruit and build quality depth at all positions. At some positions like RB, we have it. In others, like the secondary, it's still getting built so we'll need to give it another year or two to have solid backups.

When a team is facing a young inexperienced QB and OL, it's a common strategy to try to put pass rush pressure on them early and often. OSU was able to do that, and QE, who is coming off an injury due to taking a hard hit, predictably got jittery. Card routinely does the same thing even with his additional experience so it's unlikely he would have done any better.

Sark has to balance trying to win with building a winning culture and roster for the long term. He knows QE and the young OL is the future and understands that building confidence and toughness is part of the growth process. Sometimes that is painful to watch as it was at times yesterday. Regardless, it's obvious that the team is making progress from last season which is all I can ask.

 

[Eastexhorn]

Making progress? One step forward two steps back

Saunders also had a shoulder injury. OSU had 5 starters out the whole game.

Texas has higher ranked players at all positions. Wind blowed for both teams

Only big difference was coaching. Same problemsas last year. Sorry but Texas was out coached again.

 

[bctex1106]

I guess you've been wrong a million times. Did you see Red arguing with Ewers over only throwing to Worthy? He wanted to win so bad he was willing to stand up for it. 

It's the coaching.

Nope. Few exceptions doesn't change the mentally weak culture of a program. 

We need alot more who are as hungry to win as the minority. So no, I'm not wrong at all. 

 

[Johnny Depp]

Nope. Few exceptions doesn't change the mentally weak culture of a program. 

We need alot more who are as hungry to win as the minority. So no, I'm not wrong at all. 

Blaming the culture is a cop out for people who like to blame intangibles.

How about:

Can't win road game

Can't beat ranked teams

Can't finish games when ahead by double digits

Can't score 1/2 as many points in the 2nd half as the 1st

How about blaming the Coach?

 

[Johnny Depp]

Did you consider pulling Ewers? Sark NO

That answer confirms he is either an idiot or a liar.

 

[zion3d]

OSU had several players out but found a way to win.  They had to deal with the wind too but found a way to win.  They were losing at halftime and getting gashed in the run game but found a way to win.  Spencer Sanders was not 100% but they found a way to win.  They faced a more tallented team but found a way win.  Seems that we could only find a way to lose. 

Can someone in the Texas program please find a solution? 

 

[Sirhornsalot]

No, we're not there yet.

As several have pointed out, OSU was without three starters on their defense. I think another one was injured during the game. Yet, in the second half they managed to shut down our running game. I think they realized Ewers wasn't going to hurt them in the passing game much.

On the other hand, we lost Cook and Watts and got exposed.

I realize we played a bunch of freshmen, but the comparison is still there.

 

[Johnny Depp]

"Read that he got his hand closed on in door and had his nail removed from his thumb. Reason is why he wore the glove.

This would be a problem throwing football if true

If this is true, then what are we to believe about the decision to keep him in all game?

a) Hudson Card has completely lost the ability to play football?

b) Sark thinks Hudson Card has completely lost the ability to play football?

c) Sark thinks Ewers has so fragile a psyche that he can't be even briefly replaced when he has a hand injury that impacts his ability to throw with accuracy?

I get choosing Ewers as the season starter over Card. I get starting him against OSU while still trying to determine whether a hand injury is affecting his throwing. I don't get playing Ewers all game with a hand injury that is greatly affecting his accuracy against a defense that has trouble against mobile qbs."

247

 We have seen how Casey played with a bad hand.

 

[North Texas Golfer]

"Read that he got his hand closed on in door and had his nail removed from his thumb. Reason is why he wore the glove.

This would be a problem throwing football if true

If this is true, then what are we to believe about the decision to keep him in all game?

a) Hudson Card has completely lost the ability to play football?

b) Sark thinks Hudson Card has completely lost the ability to play football?

c) Sark thinks Ewers has so fragile a psyche that he can't be even briefly replaced when he has a hand injury that impacts his ability to throw with accuracy?

I get choosing Ewers as the season starter over Card. I get starting him against OSU while still trying to determine whether a hand injury is affecting his throwing. I don't get playing Ewers all game with a hand injury that is greatly affecting his accuracy against a defense that has trouble against mobile qbs."

247

 We have seen how Casey played with a bad hand.

I would say that we are to believe none of the a, b, or c options that you listed. 

It's more likely one of the d, e, or f options that you conveniently left out. Probably for the same reason I would have left them out. Because we don't know what they are. Only Sark does. 

 

[Johnny Depp]

I would say that we are to believe none of the a, b, or c options that you listed. 

It's more likely one of the d, e, or f options that you conveniently left out. Probably for the same reason I would have left them out. Because we don't know what they are. Only Sark does. 

That was a copy and paste, not my work, just sharing for info.

 

[Eastexhorn]

Not his thumb it was his index finger on hisright hand per 24/7.

 elive TFloss posted it on some thread.

 

[General Hooker]

I didn't have access to the internet yesterday and didn't get to post this during the game. My apologies if this has already been posted elsewhere. Did anyone else see Savion Red get upset at Brennan Marion on the sideline after another missed pass on 3rd down? It looked like he was extremely pissed at Marion almost to the point of getting physical.

Anyone know what that's about?